Government of Timor-Leste

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, accompanied the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, at a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, Ishiba Shigeru, held on August 26^th, 2025, at the Government Palace of Japan in Tokyo. 

During the meeting, the two leaders focused on strengthening the strategic partnership between Timor-Leste and Japan, with an emphasis on priority sectors such as economic development, renewable energy, and investment. They also discussed peace and security issues in the region, with an emphasis on strengthening Timor-Leste's capacity through the Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework, a commitment recently demonstrated by the visit of the Japanese Navy ship OHSUMI to Dili.

At the meeting, José Ramos-Horta and Ishiba Shigeru also took stock of the bilateral cooperation built up over more than two decades, highlighting Japan's support for Timor-Leste, which exceeds US$438 million. This support has taken the form of infrastructure projects, including the modernization of the Guido Valadares National Hospital, the construction of the new passenger terminal at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the RTTL, EP central building project. The contributions of Japanese private investment were also highlighted, namely from Tsuneishi Shipping and INPEX, which reflect the evolution towards a comprehensive partnership geared towards sustainable growth.

The President of the Republic and the Prime Minister of Japan concluded the meeting by reaffirming their mutual commitment to accelerate shared development and consolidate Timor-Leste as a stable and reliable partner for Japan in Southeast Asia, promoting a common vision of a prosperous and peaceful region.